Are you searching for the best business schools in Manchester, UK? In this article, we have ranked these schools based on the popular business schools in Manchester, program valuation, as well their track record of excellence.
Manchester is the second largest city in the UK, and with a population of around half a million people, it’s no wonder that it has so many great business schools.
Whether you’re looking to get an MBA or just learn more about business, Manchester is a great place to do both.
Here are six top business schools in Manchester where you can get your education:
- Alliance Manchester Business School, The University of Manchester.
- The Business School, Manchester Metropolitan University.
- International Business College.
- Global Banking School.
- Salford Business School.
- Kaplan Manchester.
Continue reading to learn more about these business schools in Manchester.
What is a Business School?
A business school is an institution of higher education that teaches and researches business, management, and leadership.
It is not a university, but it can be affiliated with one (like Alliance Business School). Business schools offer postgraduate degrees that are geared toward preparing students for careers in business and management.
Most people think of a university when they hear the word “college”—and if you’re American (or Australian), there’s even more pressure to associate the word “college” with a four-year degree program.
However, if your goal is to learn about how to run a company effectively or become better at managing others, then you’ll want to seek out a business school instead of looking into graduate programs offered by universities.
Why Enroll in a Business School?
If you want to learn more about business and have an opportunity to improve your professional skills, then enrolling in a business school is the best option for you.
There are many reasons why enrolling in one of these business schools in Manchester will benefit your career prospects, such as:
- Improve Leadership Skills: Many of the programs include leadership modules or workshops that teach students how they can become better leaders within their organizations.
- Improve Management Skills: Students also get the chance to learn practical management skills through classroom learning and fieldwork assignments. This means that students are able to put what they’ve learned into practice which helps them understand how things work better.
- Improve Communication Skills: Most business schools have excellent communication programs because this is an essential part of any role in business environments whether it’s communicating with colleagues or clients/customers face-to-face over email or phone calls etc.
Therefore, improving these skills will help you increase productivity levels within your organization.
The List of Business Schools in Manchester
There are a lot of great schools in Europe for Business, and the Manchester half of the UK doesn’t shy away from boasting some top business schools itself.
Here are the top business schools in Manchester.
Ranking Methodology: During this research and data gathering, we have collected data from top authoritative publications like the Financial Times and Forbes.
According to the data found, the ranking is compiled on the basis of data provided by business schools to these top publications.
The data is verified by business school representatives, who also offer insight into it and suggest any corrections that may be necessary. Once this process has been completed, the data is analyzed and calculated according to an agreed set of criteria.
Here are some factors that the top business schools in Manchester have been ranked with:
- Accreditation: Typically, business schools in Manchester and all around the world are expected to be accredited by recognized organizations like Equis or AACSB. This factor contributes a tiny percentage to the weighted average.
- Alumni-informed criteria from data collected over three years: This represents anonymous responses of students who have completed their programs in the business schools. This attributed to more than 25 percent of the weighted average.
- Research rank: This represents the number of top publication articles by members of the faculty in business schools in Manchester.
- Environmental, Social and Governance [ESG] rank: This is weighted by the number of hours that goes into teaching ESG courses in an MBA program. This contributes about 30 percent of the weighted average.
- Salaries of non-profit and public sector workers, and full-time students.
- Value for money: This factor represents how ‘valuable’ an MBA degree from each of these schools is, in terms of earnings.
This is done by dividing the average salary (of graduate students of each school) 3 years after completion by the total cost of obtaining an MBA from that school.
#1 Alliance Manchester Business School | The University of Manchester
| School | Tuition Fee | Notable programs |
| Alliance Manchester Business School | £47,000 Full-Time MBA (with scholarships available) | Full-time MBA Global MBA Global Executive MBA Kelly-Manchester MBA |
If you’re looking to study business at one of the top business schools in the UK, look no further than Alliance Manchester Business School. The University of Manchester’s business school offers MBA, MSc, MSc Finance and MSc Management programs for students who are interested in pursuing a career in business.
As a matter of fact, the Alliance Manchester Business School is the fifth best business school in the UK, according to the latest ranking of global business schools by Financial Times; and is the best business school in Manchester.
The university’s location gives its students access to many opportunities for internships and work experience. Besides being located in the hub between London and Scotland, this university is also close to major cities like Liverpool and Leeds.
Alliance Manchester Business School is part of The University of Manchester – one of the largest universities in Europe with over 100 departments across all disciplines.
#2 Manchester Metropolitan University Business School
| School | Tuition Fee | Notable programs |
| Alliance Manchester Business School | £14,976 | Full-time MBA Online Global MBA Other Professional Courses |
Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, located in Manchester, UK, is a private university and a member of the AACSB and EBS.
The school further holds triple accreditation from EQUIS, AMBA, and AACSB making it one of the top business schools in Manchester.
Students at MMU Business School can choose from four different programs:
- BSc Accounting & Finance
- BSc Business Management
- MSc Accounting & Finance
- MSc Marketing
#3 International Business College Manchester
| School | Tuition Fee | Notable programs |
| International Business College Manchester | £10,000 per annum (HND program in Business Management | Diploma in Business Management (HND); as well as other business-related professional courses |
International Business College Manchester (IBM) is a private business school located in the heart of Manchester city center. The institution is also home to a number of executive-level programs that help businesses manage change or reach new markets.
It is true that in terms of prestige, this school does not come close to Alliance MBS or MMU – the two best business schools in Manchester – but, IBCM has a higher acceptance rate when compared to the former schools. And if you don’t mind a diploma program, IBCM is a good choice.
At IBCM, you can choose from a range of high-quality Business & Management programs that include areas as diverse as
- Leadership & Management,
- Finance & Accounting,
- Human Resource Management & Hospitality Management; all accredited by leading Management organizations.
IBCM is accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC), which means it fulfills its strict standards for quality assurance. Its MBA program is recognized by both AACSB International and EQUIS, meaning that students can be confident they will receive a high-quality education from start to finish.
In addition, IBM has close ties with several alumni networks across Europe—including Germany’s Commerzbank AG—and hosts numerous events throughout the year for students who want to network with professionals working in key industries such as finance or technology development.
#4 Salford Business School
| School | Tuition Fee | Notable programs |
| Salford Business School | £15,120 – £17,580 | Distance MBA program (online) International Business International Business Law International Business with Law |
Salford Business School, known as SBS, is a public university business school located in Salford, Greater Manchester.
It is one of the largest business schools in Manchester and one of the most sought-after destinations for graduate students who want to study at an institution with a strong reputation and excellent facilities.
The school offers a well-received MBA program as its flagship program for business enthusiasts who want to take advantage of it. This program is a 12-month distance MBA program.
SBS was ranked eighth among all UK universities and colleges by The Guardian University Guide in 2017; however, that number is now no longer so in recent years, as it has been shoved further down the list.
#5 Global Banking School – Manchester Campus
| School | Tuition Fee | Notable programs |
| Global Banking School | £9,250 per year BA (Hons) Global Business | BA (Hons) in Global Business with Foundation Year BA (Hons) Global Enterprise MA International Business GBS HND in Business BA (Hons) Business & Management |
Global Banking School is a private institution that offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. It is located in Manchester, United Kingdom, as well as multiple other campuses in the UK and Dubai.
The school has been recognized as one of the best business schools in Manchester by prestigious bodies such as Forbes magazine and the Financial Times Group.
The MBA course at this institution focuses on core skills like problem-solving ability, critical thinking and decision-making that are essential for students to succeed both academically as well as professionally.
The curriculum consists of four semesters where students learn about topics ranging from finance to marketing with an emphasis on international business practices.
In addition to these courses, there are elective courses available so that students can choose subjects based on their interests or career goals.
#6 The London School of Commerce Manchester
| School | Tuition Fee | Notable programs |
| The London School of Commerce Manchester | £6,950 | Full-time MBA MBA part-time |
Address: City Tower, New York St, Manchester M1 4BE, UK
The London School of Commerce Manchester is a private business school located in Manchester, UK.
The university offers courses that focus on hospitality, events management, tourism studies, and marketing.
Students who are interested can also take classes on entrepreneurship or freelancing while they’re studying at LSCM.
They also offer full-time and part-time MBA programs that are not nearly as popular, but decent enough. However, due to its absent web presence, LSCM is one of the lesser-known business schools in Manchester.
View program listing on find-MBA.
#7 Kaplan International at Manchester
| School | Tuition Fee | Notable programs |
| Kaplan International at Manchester | £6,205 (estimated) | MBA |
Kaplan International is a private business school in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is part of Kaplan UK, which offers higher education courses at universities and colleges in various countries around the world.
The university provides vast training in education and training in finance, accountancy, marketing, management, and law, as well as the business interpretations of all these.
The school is among the lesser-known business schools in Manchester but it has few favorable reviews that add to its affordability.
Learn more about Kaplan International.
Benefits of Getting an MBA
An MBA (Master of Business Administration) is a graduate-level degree that can be obtained by students who have already completed an undergraduate program in business or another related field.
- Obtaining an MBA gives you more options and opportunities to advance your career, as well as allows you to learn more about yourself and the world around you. It’s also a great way to solve problems.
- It increases your earning potential.
- It gives you more options and opportunities.
- You will be more marketable.
- You will learn more about yourself.
- You will be able to make more informed decisions.
- You will be able to make more connections. (What’s interesting here is that we are not just talking about money).
Studying in an MBA program opens you up to meet with like-minded soon-to-be industry professionals that you can align yourself with to become a business titan in your right.
Benefits of Studying in Manchester, UK
If you’re looking for a business school that offers the best of both worlds, Manchester is your destination. This city has it all: a vibrant student community, and a thriving economy with top employers across the board.
Manchester is also home to one of Europe’s most diverse populations, meaning you can meet people from all over the world while studying there.
Of course, there are plenty of other reasons why Manchester is worth considering as your next study abroad destination or long-term residence:
- It’s one of Europe’s fastest-growing cities in England, according to The City Monitor.
- It has great public transport links – with its excellent rail network linking major towns such as Sheffield and Liverpool within 30 minutes journey time, plus easy access via a road or air travel too.
- Finally, Manchester is a lively hub for football lovers to experience the game. The only other city that beats it in England is the London capital.
How to Get into an MBA Program
Chances are that even if you are able to afford any business school in Manchester and its MBA program, you still might find it difficult to get admitted into most of the top MBA programs in Manchester and other schools around the world.
The reason is due to the high acceptance rate of these schools and selectivity; applicants are typically well scrutinized before they stand any chance to be offered interviews.
However, here are some top tips to help you get into any business school in Manchester of your choice, as collected from Mastersportal.
- Pick the perfect MBA degree.
- Prepare your transcripts of records.
- Consider if you need a high GPA for your MBA.
- Take the GMAT and GRE scores seriously.
- Prepare your resume and professional experience.
- Write a professional motivation essay for your MBA.
- Don’t dismiss your recommendation letters.
- Make sure you have the necessary English skills.
- Prepare for the admission interview.
- Check your deadlines and application fees.
You can read more here and do more research of your own.
Final Thoughts
Manchester is a great city to study in, live and work in. It’s also a great place to visit for its culture, sports and nightlife.
If you are considering studying business at a local university or college, then Manchester should be on the top of your list as it contains some of the best business schools in England.
Top MBA programs in Manchester offer access to expert faculty members as well as professional development opportunities that have enabled numerous students from around the world to achieve their personal goals both academically and professionally.
Wrapping It Up
There are many benefits to studying in Manchester. You’ll be exposed to a variety of cultures and get to experience different lifestyles.
The city also offers plenty of nightlife options; Plus, if you decide that you want more than just an MBA—like a master’s degree in finance or management—then Manchester is one of the best places for that too.